as in restores
to free from moral guilt or blemish especially ceremonially
a day on which the faithful are expected to purge themselves of their sins through prayer and fasting
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Recent Examples of purges
Unless a Nest user subscribes to a service that allows for quick access to review footage recorded on a device, Google routinely purges the footage rather than retain it indefinitely, said Stacey Higginbotham, a policy fellow at Consumer Reports who specializes in cybersecurity issues.
—
Safiyah Riddle, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Unless the Heat releases Terry Rozier or purges some other salary in a trade, Miami would not have enough space to sign a 15th player to a standard contract — and remain under the luxury tax line — until December.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Safiyah Riddle, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Unless the Heat releases Terry Rozier or purges some other salary in a trade, Miami would not have enough space to sign a 15th player to a standard contract — and remain under the luxury tax line — until December.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purges
Verb
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Real rest restores your balance and brightens future choices.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Mar. 2026
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Barbs, in that telling, restores Lockhart’s relevance.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Shani Darden's Allure Best of Beauty Award-winning Triple Acid Signature Peel delivers almost immediate radiance, thanks to a two-step process that deeply resurfaces and cleanses skin.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
28 Feb. 2026
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This one not only deposits color, but also gently cleanses and conditions the hair.—
Iman Balagam,
Vogue,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That admission runs counter to the tidy grief narrative most people carry around — the idea that time heals in a straight line.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Mar. 2026
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In cases like these, more fun lip balms just don’t cut it, whereas this 100% natural ointment instantly heals and replenishes.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the biblical sense, the refiner’s fire not only destroys, but purifies the slate clean for novel growth.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
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Plastic water bottles have been largely eliminated as the resort purifies and bottles its own water.—
John Newton,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purges. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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